Minas Morgul
'''Minas Morgul' was a fortress of Gondor, originally called Minas Ithil. As the easternmost fortification in the kingdom of Gondor, Minas Ithil safeguarded the eastern borders of the Kingdom of Gondor and protected the capital Osgiliath from the forces of Mordor during the early part of the Third Age. As Gondor's armies weakened, it was then taken by the forces of Mordor, and used as a base to attack Gondor and in the process, decayed into the dark fortress and was renamed as a result. Minas Morgul was located in the upland valley known as the Morgul Vale at the feet of the Mountains of Shadow. It overlooked the region of Ithilien and controlled the only passes through the mountains that led into Mordor, the Morgul Pass and the Pass of Cirith Ungol.The Atlas of Middle-earth, Regional Maps, "Mordor (and Adjacent Lands)" History Minas Ithil = Minas Ithil was built by the faithful Númenóreans, who escaped Númenor's destruction in the Second Age, as a defense against Mordor, and was the dwelling of the House of Isildur.''The Silmarillion'', ''Akallabêth'' (Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age) Minas Ithil housed a palantír, the Ithil-stone and the First Tree of Gondor (Minas Ithil). Description In its heyday, Minas Ithil was described as a beautiful sight, with light filling its inner courts with silver light and causing its walls to gleam silver and white. It was a walled city of white marble built on a high shelf of rock. Within the walls, there were white houses and a tall tower. The walls and the tower had many windows, and the top of the tower revolved slowly back and forth. A road ran from Osgiliath on the Anduin through Ithilien to the city and crossed the Mountains of Shadow into Mordor via the pass. Siege of Minas Ithil In SA 3428, Sauron sent a great army to Minas Ithil and after about a year of siege, it was captured and the White Tree was burned (Isildur recovered a sapling and planted it in Minas Tirith in TA 2). However, in SA 3430, Anárion recaptured the city, though he died in the following War of the Last Alliance. After Sauron was defeated at the culmination of that war in SA 3441, a watch was kept at Minas Ithil to prevent the return of evil to Mordor. The Nazgûl, led by the Witch-king of Angmar, the most fearsome of Sauron's minions, returned to Mordor in 1980 to prepare for Sauron's return. Soon Mordor started to attack and conquer parts of Gondor. In TA 2000, the forces of the nine Nazgûl laid siege to Minas Ithil. In TA 2002 after a long siege, the city fell and was transformed into a bastion of evil. As a result, it came to be called Minas Morgul. Minas Morgul '' film]] Terror and war were directed at Gondor from Minas Morgul until Ithilien was deserted. During the War of the Ring, the army that attacked Osgiliath and undertook the Siege of Gondor came from Minas Morgul. In fashion Minas Morgul seems to have been much like Minas Tirith, only corrupted. The topmost course of the tower revolved slowly, and the walls were illuminated by a pale luminous glow. The city had a strange watchfulness about it, and intruders to Morgul Vale were always noted. Most who approached the city could not stand to set eyes on it, and felt watched. In the War of the Ring, Aragorn and Gandalf broke the bridge and set the fields by it on fire to keep its troops from the Cross-road. After the War, Aragorn (as King) counseled Faramir to make his abode in the Emyn Arnen southeast of Minas Tirith, in Ithilien, and decreed that Minas Ithil in the Morgul Vale, despoiled by its years as Minas Morgul, be completely destroyed, for although it might in time come to be made clean, no man might dwell there for many long years''The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King,'' Book Six, Chapter V: "The Steward and the King". Eventually, the city was rebuilt as Minas Ithil and the evil that tainted the land was at last gone. Portrayal in adaptations The Lord of the Rings film trilogy In Peter Jackson's [[The Return of the King (film)|movie adaptation of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]], Minas Morgul is shown as a massive spectral fortress on the other side of a moat. Frodo is drawn by the power of the Ring, but Sam and Gollum hide him as the Morgul army of orcs passes; the Nazgûl on their mounts are not seen, except for the Witch-king who is shown to leave the fortress on a Fellbeast. It also makes a brief appearance in the first film, ''The Fellowship of the Ring'', when the Ringwraiths (mounted on horses) are shown exiting the fortress en route to the Shire far away. Middle-earth: Shadow of War The video game Middle-earth: Shadow of War features Minas Ithil throughout the game, and depicts its transformation into Minas Morgul after being besieged by the Nazgûl. In the game, the main character, Talion, aided by the wraith of the Elf-smith Celebrimbor, attempts to hold back the siege only to be betrayed from within. The city falls into the hands of Sauron and becomes Minas Morgul. After Talion is betrayed by Celebrimbor and takes possession of one of the Nine Rings of Power, he recaptures the city as his stronghold. Decades later, Talion finally succumbs to the power of the Ring and becomes one of the Nine, and Minas Morgul once again falls back under the control of the Witch-king until his fall. Gallery Translations References Category:Cities Category:Sauron's Fortress & Strongholds Category:Strongholds of Nazgûl Category:Mordor Category:Locations in Middle-earth: Shadow of War Category:Cities of Gondor de:Minas Morgul es:Minas Morgul fr:Minas Morgul it:Minas Morgul nl:Minas Morgul pl:Minas Morgul pt-br:Minas Ithil ru:Минас Итиль